The annual diocesan Blue Mass for all active, retired and deceased law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services personnel will be celebrated by Bishop Earl Fernandes at 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11 at Columbus St. Timothy Church, 1088 Thomas Lane.
The tradition of the Blue Mass dates to September 1934, when it was first celebrated in Washington, D.C. It became a tradition in the northeastern United States and spread nationwide following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Its name comes from the mainly blue-colored uniforms of police officers, firefighters and emergency personnel. In the Diocese of Columbus, it has been organized for several years by Knights of Columbus Council 14345 of St. Timothy Church.
Friends of the Poor walk set for Sept. 16 at DeSales
The diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Council’s annual Friends of the Poor walk will take place Saturday, Sept. 16 at Columbus St. Francis DeSales High School, 4212 Karl Road. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m.
All proceeds from the walk go back to participants’ local St. Vincent de Paul conferences to serve the needy in their communities.
Donations may be made by cash or check. For more details, contact the St. Vincent de Paul Council at (614) 221-3554.
Grodi, son will speak to Catholic Record Society
Marcus Grodi, president and founder of the Coming Home Network, and his son JonMarc, the network’s executive director, will speak at the quarterly meeting of the Catholic Record Society at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10 at The Catholic Foundation, 1234 E. Broad St., Columbus.
They will speak on the history of the network, which Marcus Grodi, a Presbyterian minister for more than 15 years before becoming a Catholic, founded 30 years ago to assist and encourage other Protestant ministers and laypersons who want to join the Catholic Church.
From a small office building just outside of Zanesville, the Grodis lead a worldwide ministry that is best known for the weekly EWTN television program “The Journey Home,” produced in a studio that is part of the office. JonMarc recently took over hosting duties from his father, who for 25 years talked to hundreds of guests about what led them to become Catholic.
More information about the society is available at www.columbuscatholic.org/catholic-record-society.
Denison Newman club to present Catholic lecture series
Denison University’s Newman Catholic Club will present a series of lectures on how modern discoveries display the links between Christianity and science each Sunday from Sept. 3 through Dec. 17 (Nov. 19 excepted) after the 6 p.m. Sunday Mass at Swasey Chapel on campus.
The theme will be “Ultramodern Christianity in the Light of Ultramodern Scientific Breakthroughs: Why It Can Revolutionize Worldview and Re-Enchant Lifestyle.”
The speaker will be Father William Slattery, a Pontifical College Josephinum faculty member who has been a priest for 32 years and is a specialist on how Christianity relates to the disciplines of philosophy also studied by theoretical physics.
The program from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. each week will feature a talk and a question-answer period, with food and refreshments. For more information about the Newman Catholic Club, go to https.//saintedwards.org/newman.
Ohio Dominican lecture topics announced for fall semester
The Center for Dominican Studies at Ohio Dominican University (ODU) will present four lectures this fall featuring ODU faculty members focusing on the university’s theme for the 2023-24 academic year, “Truths We Have Learned.”
The presentations, all on Thursdays, will take place at 3:30 p.m. in the Colonial Room of Sansbury Hall, 1216 Sunbury Road, Columbus. Refreshments will be provided.
The presentations are free, but seating is limited. To reserve your seat for each session, contact Sister Diane Traffas, OP at traffasd@ohiodominican.edu or (614) 251-4722.
Dates, topics and presenters are:
Sept. 14, “The Metaphysics of Truth and the Truths of Metaphysics,” Dr. Jeremy Skrzypek, assistant professor of philosophy; Sept. 28, “How Changing Ideas on Truth Impact Students,” Dr. Marlissa Stauffer, chair of the ODU education division; Oct. 12, “The Truth about Truth,” Dr. Lawrence Masek, professor of philosophy; Oct. 26, “Four Perspectives on Truth,” Dr. Anjel Stough-Hunter, former member of the sociology faculty, Dr. Natalie Kompa, associate professor of public relations, Dr. Tony DeGenaro, assistant professor of English, and Dr. Matt Ponesse, associate professor of history.
Ohio Dominican announces plans for homecoming Oct. 7
Ohio Dominican University (ODU) invites alumni, students, faculty, staff, friends and family to its annual homecoming celebration on Saturday, Oct. 7.
The event will include a free tailgate party before the football game against Lake Erie , a homecoming Mass and a recognition dinner and ceremony to celebrate recipients of this year’s distinguished alumni award and members of ODU classes of years ending in “3” and “8.”
Honorees at the dinner, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Bishop Griffin Student Center, 1216 Sunbury Road, will be Mary Smart Callaway (class of 1979), Jay DeLuca (class of 1996), John Kelley (class of 2005) and Lou Staffilino (class of 1973, posthumous).
The tailgate party begins at 11:30 a.m., with the game at 1 p.m. Free tickets will be available for all alumni at the alumni office. The Mass will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m. at Christ the King Chapel in Sansbury Hall by Father Dan Millisor (class of 1981), university chaplain.
Other athletic events scheduled for that day are a women’s volleyball game against Ursuline College at 6 p.m. in Alumni Hall and a women’s soccer match against Tiffin University at 8 p.m. in Panther Stadium.
St. John Learning Center offers fall classes for adults
The St. John Learning Center at Columbus Holy Rosary-St. John Church, 640 S. Ohio Ave., is offering several adult education opportunities this fall.
Programs include General Education Diploma (GED) and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, small business workshops, homebuyer classes and a mental health series. All classes are free, and most have online options.
GED and ESL classes, taught by Columbus City Schools teachers, will start on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Call (614) 547-2171 for intake information and assistance with registration.
Start Your Own Business workshops in September and October will cover topics such as developing a business plan, small business grants and loans, insurance issues, tax planning and marketing.
The classes will be available online on Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. starting on Sept. 20. This series is taught in collaboration with a variety of other nonprofits and business professionals.
In November, a homebuyers series will be offered, beginning with a workshop on financial literacy and continuing with a workshop on the process of buying a home. This will be an online “lunch and learn” series.
Throughout the fall, the mental health series will feature mental health professionals addressing issues such as dealing with holiday-related stress and grief. Speakers will be mental health professionals. The series also will be available online.
The St. John Learning Center has been offering adult education opportunities for more than 30 years. Call the center at (614) 547-2171 to learn more about the range of social services it offers. Visit stjohnlearning.wordpress.com for more information on classes and links to social media. Go to stjohnlearning.eventbrite.com to register for online classes.
Shepherd’s Corner lists fall events
The fall schedule of activities at the Shepherd’s Corner Ecology Center, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, will include the annual Shepherds Fest from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23.
Those attending can explore the urban farm’s trails and feed the sheep. Admission is free, but those attending are asked to bring a shelf-stable food item for donation to local pantries.
Labyrinth walks are scheduled once each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Dates and themes are: Wednesday, Sept. 13, “Embrace Peace”; Thursday, Oct. 26, “Final Harvest”; Friday, Nov. 10, “Connect”; and Thursday, Dec. 21, “Winter Solstice.” First Friday hikes will take place on Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1 and Jan. 5. A $5 donation is suggested for each of these events.
There will be a class in beginning backyard birding for adults and family groups including one or two children at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 27. Registration is required, with a maximum of 11 registration groups. There is a $15 charge. One birdfeeder will be provided per group. To register, call (614) 866-4302 or visit shepherdscorner.org/calendar.
Gail Maraman will lead a class from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 on how to use wet felting techniques with leaves and acorns to create art celebrating autumn. Registration is $20.
A class on making small gifts from items found around the house will take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17. There will be a late fall morning walk at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5. Registration for both events is $5.
Shepherd’s Corner’s annual holiday craft sale will begin at 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8. Additional dates may be added.
The center at 987 N. Waggoner Road in Blacklick is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through mid-November. Visitors are requested to either bring a donation or shelf-stable food for pantries.
The sisters at Shepherd’s Corner invite visitors to join them in experiencing the joys and responsibilities of caring for land, life and spirit and to inspire others to become shepherds of creation in their own corners of the world.
They offer rental of their building or labyrinth to groups whose mission is compatible with that of Shepherd’s Corner. On-demand programming is offered for small groups.
For more information, call (614) 866-4302, send an email to SCEcologyCenter@oppeace.org or go to www.shepherdscorner.org.